4-Week Study to Assess the Effect of Alendronate and Vitamin D3 Once Weekly on Fractional Calcium Absorption in Postmenopausal Osteoporotic Women (0217A-230)

Inclusion Criteria: * The patient is a postmenopausal osteoporotic female * The patient is willing to limit direct sunlight exposure during the course of the study * The patient must be ambulatory * The patient has serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D =25 ng/mL Exclusion Criteria: * The patient is contraindicated to bisphosphonate therapy * The patient has a vitamin D deficiency * Patient will be excluded if their weight is above 85 kg * The patient has a history of prior osteoporotic fracture * The patient is currently or has received in the past treatment with effects on bone or calcium metabolism * The patient has malabsorption syndrome * The patient has active thyroid disease * The patient has metabolic bone disease * The patient had a myocardial infarction within 6 months of screening visit * The patient has impaired renal function * The patient is currently or has been a smoker in the last year